1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to self-sealing valves, and in particular, it relates to self-sealing valves for use with inflatable articles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Valves affixed to the surface of inflatable articles are well known in the art. Such valves are designed to accommodate the passage therethrough of a fill tube which fill tube conducts a filling medium into the inflatable article. Such valves are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,702,974; 2,700,980; 4,662,883; 3,410,300; and 4,930,535. A fill tube is typically inserted into the inflation chamber of an article through such a valve. The valve is typically made of two sheets of silicone rubber bonded together along their edges with a channel therebetween.
Silicone gel is frequently used to either fill or partially fill the channel for two reasons. First, it is an excellent lubricant and facilitates the entry and passage of a fill tube through the channel. Second, if a fill tube is disposed within the valve for a long time, stresses in the silicone rubber forming the channel result in the valve not sealing adequately once the fill tube is removed. The channel becomes somewhat "set" in an open position and remains in the open position once the fill tube has been removed. To facilitate sealing of the valve channel once the fill tube is removed, a quantity of viscous gel is often disposed between the walls to partially fill the channel thereby to improve the sealing properties of the channel.
The valves of the type we are talking about here are the only entrance or exit of fluid from the interior of the article. It is also assumed that the article must be frequently inflated or deflated or the fill tube must be frequently reinserted and removed from the valve. Under such conditions, the sealing gel housed within the prior art valves is dislodged from the channel and either pushed into the article during insertion of the fill tube or pulled out of the valve during removal of the fill tube. To overcome these problems and provide a valve having the ability to retain a gel placed in the channel thereof even after multiple insertion of a fill tube, the present improved valve has been invented.